wow. 69 kids from one woman? A 5 yr old giving birth?

[The Straight Story]

The highest officially recorded number of children born to one Russian mother is 69. Between 1725 and 1765, in a total of 27 pregnancies, she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets, and 4 sets of quadruplets. 67 of them survived infancy.

...

A 5-year-old peruvian: world's youngest mother
Published on 10/24/2007

Into the hospital at Pisco (Peru) came a tired, ragged Indian woman from the foothills of the Andes. She led by the hand a shy little girl, scarcely three feet tall, with chestnut braids and an enormously bulging abdomen. Pointing to the frightened child, the Indian woman begged Surgeon Geraldo Lozada to exorcise the evil spirits which had taken possession of her. Certain that little Lina Medina had an abdominal tumor, Dr. Lozada examined her, received the surprise of his life when he discovered she was eight months pregnant.

Dr. Lozada took her to Lima, the capital of Peru, prior to the surgery to have other specialists confirm that Lina was in fact pregnant. A month and a half later, on May 14, 1939, she gave birth to a boy by a caesarean section necessitated by her small pelvis. The surgery was performed by Dr. Lozada and Dr. Busalleu, with Dr. Colretta providing anaesthesia. Her case was reported in detail by Dr. Edmundo Escomel to La Presse Medicale, along with the additional details that her menarche had occurred at 8 months of age, and that she had had prominent breast development by the age of 4. By age 5 her figure displayed pelvic widening and advanced bone maturation.

......

More here:

http://www.oddee.com/item_90966.aspx

[LittleClarkie]

1. They don't mention one thing. Okay, so she's physically mature for her age

but WHO THE HELL GOT A FIVE YEAR OLD PREGNANT!?

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. In 1939 I can assure you nobody was gonna ask

even today in some areas you don't ask

[napoleon_in_rags]

3. Its effing sick...but at least there is this.

along with the additional details that her menarche had occurred at 8 months of age, and that she had had prominent breast development by the age of 4. By age 5 her figure displayed pelvic widening and advanced bone maturation.

So she had breasts and so forth. Maybe somebody thought she was a midget???

I'm trying to find something redeeming but its pretty messed up no matter how you slice it, eh?

[pansypoo53219]

4. her step-father

i read about this and they had pictures of the child. rare case of premaure hormonal advancement. where in the hell did i read this??? but that poor russian!

[orleans]

7. exactly what i was thinking. who got a 5 year old pregnant?? n/t

[kickysnana]

5. Some of my most colorful family

In working with another branch in Ohio in the early 1800's I ran across a mother who had 16 children born to her listed in the family bible. Only one of whom survived childhood. All died at or shortly after birth. (We have -Rh factor in our family.) How she didn't go insane I surely don't know.

Leander Hughes was born ca 17776 in Prince Edward Co, VA and d ca 1836 near Middleton, Smith Co, TN. He came to TN before 1810. Leander is thought to be a distant cousin of Howard Hughes Jr through a maternal Hughes line.

Leander married Elizabeth Fretwell b 1782 in Buckingham Co, VA. She died in 1815 in TN.
They had 8 children, Julia, Gedeliah, Philadelphia, Caroline, Richard, Leander
and Leanord b 1815.

Leander then married Rebecca Bell b 1799 d 1828 in TN. She is thought to be related to the Bell witch family in the next county over. They had 8 children. John, Little Berry, Seth, Elizabeth, William, Ira, Thomas, and Eva b ca 1827.

Leander then married Martha Paris b 1807 Prince Edward Co, VA, . Leander and Martha had 4 children Nancy, Sarah, Jesse, and Susan.

Martha then Reuben Baird with 6 children, Jeremiah, Sarah, Amanda, Josiah, William and Jesse

Martha then married Mr Jones and had one son Simeon b 1844.

I descend from Leander and Rebbecca (Bell) Hughes son Thomas who married Martha Gibbs. She was convicted of living in sin with a lover William Corley and they both served time in prison and moved one county over with Martha's 3 children. Her son Evan William "Van" Hughes was murdered in Wilson Co TN in Oct 1884 following a card game leaving two young sons. Martha and her now husband William Corley took the daughter-in-law and grandchildren in. One son John was killed under mysterious circumstances in Nashville in 1909. The other my great grandfather Joe Hughes went to farm in Oklahoma (bad move, they lost 2 of their 5 children there) and ended up working as a RR detective. We have a picture postcard of him with a outlaw "capture" about 1916. HIs wife returned to TN in 1915 and divorced him. Joe served as an MP during and shortly after WWI. He returned to TN and served as a constable in Lebanon, Wilson Co TN until his death in 1936.

[cynatnite]

6. Many children were the norm in those days...

We have an ancestor who gave birth to 27 children. This was in the 17th century, I believe. Given how easy it was to die in those days it's understandable families needed a lot of children in order to survive.

[XemaSab]

8. I think that's less about "replacement"

and more about total ignorance of how babies are made. :(

[cynatnite]

9. I'm sure they figured out that having sex would result in kids...

In those days it was very common for children and babies to die so large families are not uncommon. This goes back centuries. It's a good thing that this type of thinking is antiquated for the most part...except for religious nutjobs who think gawd wants them to procreate nonstop.

[spinbaby]

11. This would be the time to bring up the Duggar family

http://www.duggarfamily.com/

[L. Coyote]

13. My grandmother had 19 children in 22 years, died of childbirth at 42. We are 60 grandkids.

So, I know a few Rs!

If Grandma had said, "Thirteen boys is my limit" my father would not have been born!

[soothsayer]

10. Well, obviously she was on fertility drugs!

[MilesColtrane]

12. .